BULIMIA SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
- Frequent episodes of consuming a very large amount of food followed by behaviors to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting
- A feeling of being out of control during the binge-eating episodes
- Self-esteem overly related to body image.
- Many people with bulimia also struggle with co-occurring conditions such as:
- Self-injury (cutting and other forms of self-harm without suicidal intention)
- Substance abuse
- Impulsivity (risky sexual behaviors, shoplifting, etc.)
Eating disorder symptoms are beginning earlier in both males and females and, at any given point in time, 1% of young women and .1% of young men will meet diagnostic criteria for bulimia nervosa.
What’s the diagnostic criteria? Let’s take a look.
DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA FOR BULIMIA
According to the DSM-V, Bulimia is characterized by the following:
- Eating in a discrete period of time (e.g. within any 2-hour period) an amount of food that is larger than most people would eat during a similar period of time and under similar circumstances.
- Feeling a lack of control over eating during the episode (e.g. a feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating).
- Recurring inappropriate compensatory behavior in order to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or other medications, fasting, or excessive exercise.
- The binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors both occur, on average, at least once a week for three months.
- Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight.
- The disturbance does not occur exclusively during episodes of Anorexia Nervosa.
Nearly half of people with Bulimia Nervosa simultaneously experience mood disorders (such as depression) and anxiety disorders, and 1 in 10 bulimia patients will simultaneously have a substance abuse disorder (primarily alcohol).
Understanding symptoms is not necessarily meant to immediately identify the disorder, but rather obtain insight as to how a medical professional may try to diagnose and treat someone with an eating disorder.
With this in mind, only professionals are qualified to make these diagnoses, so please reach out to us for help if you have concerns about yourself or a loved one.
OUR THERAPY METHODS FOR BULIMIA
The good news is, therapy can successfully alleviate Bulimia by helping you minimize the anxiety in your life, identify and change underlying thought and behavioral patterns that contribute to your eating disorder, and provide you with strategies to decrease discomfort while restoring an overall sense of peace.
To experience true and lasting joy in our life, we must face and conquer our pain by healing our underlying trauma and confronting our fears.
Our evidence-based, scientifically proven interventions are demonstrated by research to be effective for overcoming eating disorders and other mental health issues.
WANT TO TALK? SPEAK WITH A BULIMIA EXPERT NOW
If you have any questions, contact one of our eating disorder specialists for a free consultation any time.